With three out of four Europeans planning on travelling over the summer, the era of border closures, mandatory testing and vaccine certificates seems a half-remembered nightmare to many. But with more than 1,700 people still dying every week across the world from Covid-19 and vaccine coverage declining among at-risk populations, according to the WHO, the pandemic isn't something that can just be spoken about in the past tense.

 

15/07/2024

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On Thursday, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that more than 1,700 people across the world are still dying every week from Covid-19, warning that vaccine coverage was dangerously declining among people aged over 60 and in frontline health workers – two of the groups most at risk of dying due to Covid-19 infection.  

 

The virus is still making headlines. The Tour de France has reinstated protective measures to “limit health risks” after several riders, including the UK’s Tom Pidcock and Spain's Juan Ayuso, were forced to abandon the race after testing positive for Covid-19. Masks are now mandatory for anyone coming into contact with the competitors or their teams. With millions of people expected to travel to Paris for the Olympics and Paralympics in the coming weeks, it could be a worrying precedent.  

 

A WHO report published in June 2024 found that 4.9 million older adults across 60 countries had received a vaccine dose in the first quarter of the year, corresponding to a 0.42 percent uptake rate. Among healthcare workers, this figure was just 234,000 people across 40 reporting countries – an uptake rate of 0.17 percent.

 

(more)

 

https://www.france24.com/en/health/20240715-as-europe-prepares-for-summer-holidays-who-warns-that-the-covid-19-era-is-far-from-over

 

Australian cyclist Chris Harper withdraws from Tour de France with COVID-19 symptoms

July 16, 2024

 

GRUISSAN, France (AP) — Chris Harper of Australia has withdrawn from the Tour de France ahead of Tuesday’s 16th stage, his team said, as COVID-19 infections continue to hit cycling’s marquee event.

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Harper’s withdrawal marks the latest case of coronavirus at the three-week race, following those of Juan Ayuso — a teammate of race leader Tadej Pogacar — Tom Pidcock and Maxim Van Gils.

 

Tour de France organizers have reintroduced protective measures against the virus, including mandatory mask-wearing for all those who might get in contact with riders and teams staff on the race.

 

https://apnews.com/article/tour-de-france-coronavirus-4fa5a143cf1e53260ea7ba46b48d8f44